Explosions in Lebanon Raise Concerns Over Smartphone Safety and Hacking Risks

On September 17, a shocking series of explosions occurred in southern Lebanon, leading to the deaths of 12 individuals, including two children, and injuring nearly 3,000 others. The following day, further explosions resulted in 14 more fatalities and around 500 injuries. Investigations are ongoing, with Hezbollah accusing Israel of orchestrating the attacks. The devices involved were pagers, igniting public concern about the potential for smartphones to be hacked and similarly detonated.

Experts, including Toby Walsh from the University of New South Wales, suggest that the pagers were likely rigged with explosives that were activated through malware. While smartphones can also be hacked, Walsh indicates that causing them to explode would require physical explosives to be planted inside, which he does not see as a significant threat for the general public.

Professor Mustafa Bahran from Carleton University reassures that while smartphones are capable of being hacked, the risk of them exploding is minimal, particularly for the average user. He emphasizes that officials vulnerable to international threats should remain cautious.

Further analysis indicates that the pagers contained explosive components, potentially RDX, which may have been implanted during manufacturing or transport. Maher Al-Qadi from UCLA argues that the simultaneous explosions suggest a coordinated attack, rather than random battery failures.

Al-Qadi outlines three primary causes for battery explosions: mechanical damage, electrical short circuits, and excessive heat. He believes the explosions in Lebanon were likely due to remote activation of explosives, causing a rapid temperature rise in the batteries, leading to their detonation. He and Bahran both agree that smartphones are generally safe, although they can be tracked.